Preseason Power Rankings: 2014's Starting Quarterbacks

Projected Starting QBs, from Worst to First

By Jeff Royer, XFINITY Sports

The mission is simple: Rank the projected starting quarterbacks from 32-1. It's not about who’s headed to Canton once they retire, or who will hoist the Lombardi this year. It’s about where each QB stands heading into the 2014 season. (Getty Photos)

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The mission is simple: Rank the projected starting quarterbacks from 32-1. It's not about who’s headed to Canton once they retire, or who will hoist the Lombardi this year. It’s about where each QB stands heading into the 2014 season. (Getty Photos)

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.

32. Chad Henne, ...Until Blake Bortles is ready to roll as the new face of the Jaguars' franchise, Jacksonville needs to make due with Henne, who just isn’t a starting-caliber quarterback. He’s got a cannon for an arm, but throws more interceptions than touchdowns (and has done so in all six seasons of his career) and offers little promise of a renaissance at this point. He’s surrounded by a solid corps of receivers, but, thanks to the Jags' depleted offensive line, may not be upright long enough to throw to them. (Doug Pensinger/Getty Photo)

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31. Geno Smith, ...Smith had a nearly unwatchable start to his rookie season, throwing 21 interceptions to just 12 touchdowns (and four lost fumbles) en route to a 66.5 passer rating, the lowest in the league. That said, he still led a team projected to be among the worst in the league to a .500 record. He’s too young to give up on, and still has plenty of upside. Provided he doesn’t lose his job to Mike Vick during training camp, there’s no reason Smith shouldn’t take a step forward this season. (Rob Carr/Getty Photo)

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30. Matt Schaub,...Schaub had a nightmarish season last year with the Texans, one that left his confidence shattered. His decision-making was shot, the zip seemed to vanish from his arm, and he rapidly devolved from the leader of a Super Bowl contender to a turnover machine. Whether a change of scenery means a change in psyche remains to be seen. First, he needs to ward off rookie QB Derek Carr. (Rich Pedroncelli/AP Photo)

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29. Matt Cassel,...As a full-time starter, Cassel doesn’t inspire a ton of confidence. But as Band-Aids go, he’s a decent one. He won half the games he started in 2013 and threw more TDs than interceptions, which is more than some 16-game starters can say. Regardless, one way or another, this is the year of Teddy Bridgewater. Minnesota’s young gun can ease his way into the game on the backs of Cassel and Adrian Peterson and develop into the smart and accurate passer he's projected to be. (Charlie Neibergall/AP Photo)

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28. Ryan Fitzpat...Until Tom Savage is ready for the driver’s seat, the Texans are rolling with Fitzpatrick, who has never won more than six games in a season. He could skate by this year playing dink-and-dunk and keep things close on aid with Houston's defense. But at this point, Fitzpatrick is duct tape. (Patric Schneider/AP Photo)

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27. Jake Locker,...Locker fans have been waiting with bated breath for four years for him to uncork his potential, but no one can seem to break that bottle open. Now on both his third offensive coordinator and third quarterback coach, and in a contract year, Locker needs to find a way to replicate his early 2013 success, or his stay in Tennessee is likely over. (Wesley Hitt/Getty Photo)

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26. Brian Hoyer,...For now, we move forward under the charade that Brian Hoyer is the Browns’ starter. Hoyer is smart and stable, and flashed at times last season, but doesn’t seem like a viable long-term solution. And, of course, he's got Johnny Football nipping at his heels. Is Manziel the next Steve Young or the next Tim Tebow? We'll find out this season. I tend to think he’ll be a better choice for fantasy football than in real life, but it would be very fun to be proven wrong. (Jason Miller/Getty Photo)

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25. E.J. Manuel,...Manuel wasn’t able to stay on the field last season, and when he did, the results were less than inspiring. There are reasons for optimism, though. He’s got (most of) a season under his belt now, and enters the 2014 season with one of the more enviable receiving corps, headlined by Sammy Watkins, who’s been inducing drool from scouts at training camp so far. Manuel's got a lot to prove, and deserves to be given the time to prove it. (Rick Stewart/Getty Photo)

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24. Josh McCown,...It’s hard not to root for McCown, a 35-year-old veteran who gets a golden chance at reviving his career with the Bucs. He won the job over Mike Glennon based on his success in Chicago with the Bears’ overgrown receiving corps, and should be able to replicate that in Tampa Bay with Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson. (Chris O'Meara/AP Photo)

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23. Sam Bradford...Following a phenomenal 2014 draft that saw the Rams add several weapons to an already potent lineup, Bradford is officially out of excuses. The former No. 1 pick has yet to lead St. Louis to a winning season, and has struggled repeatedly with injuries. But the Rams are still high on him, and for good reason. When he manages to stay healthy, which isn’t often, Bradford still flashes the potential for brilliance. We’ll see if this do-or-die year brings out the best in him. (Justin Edmonds/Getty Photo)

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22. Carson Palme...As a veteran entering his 12th season, Palmer has likely hit his ceiling as a quarterback. Still, there is reason to believe he could bump up his performance in 2014 with a year in Bruce Arians’ system under his belt. His 24-TD, 22-interception stat line doesn’t inspire, but he gave Arizona consistency, which is all that dynamic defense really needs to win. (Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Photo)

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21. Ryan Tannehi...The most-sacked QB in the league (58 times last season!) is poised to take a big step forward this season, provided that his retooled offensive line can keep him upright. Tannehill has the tools and the weapons to be very dangerous, and has a good chance to flourish under the tutelage of new offensive coordinator Bill Lazor, who helped to unleash the beast in Nick Foles last year as part of the Chip Kelly machine in Philadelphia. (Chris Trotman/Getty Photo)

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20. Alex Smith, ...Smith blew up just about everyone’s predictions last season by playing smart, taking care of the ball and knowing when to give the keys to Jamaal Charles. He’ll attempt to do the same this year with a depleted offensive line and an absence of any new receiving threats. He’ll still win games, just not for your fantasy football team. (Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Photo)

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19. Andy Dalton,...The Red Rifle is in a make-or-break year. If he’s really a franchise QB, we’ll know it by the end of the season. If not, it's Splitsville. Dalton leaves Jay Gruden’s pass-obsessive offense this year and enters a system that should take some weight off his shoulders. I’m guessing he does enough to stick around (maybe even wins a playoff game!). With the young talent surrounding him on the Bengals, he’s out of excuses if he doesn’t. (Andy Lyons/Getty Photo)

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18. Eli Manning,...The truth about Manning at this point probably lies closer to his brutal 27-interception season last year than his pair of Super Bowl MVP awards. Still, he finds a way to win, and could have a real renaissance in new OC Ben McAdoo’s West Coast-style offense. Some of his bad decisions last year were his receivers’ fault, some could be blamed on his offensive line. But most were all Eli. Time will tell if he can turn it around, or if he's headed down a long, dark road. (Donald Miralle/Getty Photo)

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17. Jay Cutler, ...With a wide receiver duo like Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery, Cutler could close his eyes and just heave the ball into the air on every play and still win games. Fortunately, he’s more than just a gunslinger. Cutler was making great strides under Marc Trestman before getting injured last year. With a year in the system under his belt, Cutler could be primed to cut down on the interceptions and do some serious damage. (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Photo)

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16. Matthew Staf...Stafford has been hampered by inconsistency, but he’s in line for a big year in 2014 under the tutelage of former QB coach Jim Caldwell, whose resume includes work with Peyton Manning and Joe Flacco. Calvin Johnson already gives Stafford an unfair advantage, and now he’s got a genuine No. 2 receiver in Golden Tate and an additional weapon in first-round pick Eric Ebron. The Lions may dial back the relentless passing attack, but Stafford could still be looking at a 5,000-yard year. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Photo)

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15. Tony Romo, C...The middle of the pack is where Romo belongs heading into the season, at least until he proves his back is in working order. If he bounces back from surgery, he’ll be walking into a juicy situation under new OC Scott Linehan, who never shies away from an opportunity to pass. For all of the grief he takes, Romo is still a great quarterback when healthy. Whether he can move the Cowboys above .500 is another question. (Elsa/Getty Photo)

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14. Robert Griff...Last year was a disaster for Washington, but so little of it had to do with RG3. He returns with a blank slate this year, under the guidance of a new head coach in a pass-happy system and with one of the more enviable collections of receivers in the NFL. With what should be a full healed knee, Griffin and his new weapon, DeSean Jackson, should make some noise in Landover. (Rich Schultz/Getty Photo)

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13. Joe Flacco, ...Flacco had a rough year in 2013, dropping from Super Bowl MVP to second-most intercepted passer in the league with 22 picks (versus 19 TDs). He’s not the Top 5 QB that some believed after his Super Bowl win, but he is nowhere closer to as bad as last year’s numbers make it seem. His offensive line was woeful, the Ravens' running game was nonexistent, and the team was reeling from the loss of several key starters. Look for him to rebound with a fury this season in Gary Kubiak’s scheme along with the newly added Steve Smith. (Rob Carr/Getty Photo)

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12. Nick Foles, ...I don’t believe Foles will be duplicating his 29 TD, 2-interception performance from last season. But I also don’t believe it was a complete fluke, and neither do I think his dazzling stats were merely the result of being dropped into Chip Kelly’s system. Foles had a league-best 119.2 QB rating and went from backup QB to Pro Bowl MVP. That doesn’t just happen. He’ll likely take a step back this season statistically – he almost has to – but Foles will keep climbing. For now, he’s on the outside of the Top 10 looking in. (Rob Carr/Getty Photo)

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11. Matt Ryan, F...Ryan has to be exonerated for last season. A Swiss cheese offensive line and decimated receiving corps would do that to anyone. With more protection and a healthy Julio Jones and Roddy White on his side, Matty Ice has every chance to be a Top 10 QB this season. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Photo)

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10. Russell Wils...Wilson answered questions about his stature and strength while hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in February. He’s going to have a hard time establishing himself as an elite passer in the Seahawks’ run-heavy attack, but he threw for more than 3,000 yards and 26 touchdowns last year, and could build on that this season with a healthy Percy Harvin and a genuine deep threat in rookie Paul Richardson. (Rob Carr/Getty Photo)

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9. Cam Newton, P...Newton grew big-time as a quarterback in 2013. He was more confident, made better decisions, and showed he could lead his team down the field with his arm instead of just running for his life (which he’s still really good at). Offseason ankle surgery, a questionable offensive line and a receiving corps of rookies and also-rans could take the wind out of his sails this season, but I’m still bullish on what Newton can do. (Streeter Lecka/Getty Photo)

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8. Ben Roethlisb...Big Ben is coming off a late-season run in which he turned around a disastrous season and missed the postseason by one failed field goal. He had an awful offensive line and no running game to speak of, and still managed to keep things afloat. Things should be looking up for him in 2014, with a young, fresh stable of receivers and bruiser LeGarrette Blount to take some pressure off his shoulders. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Photo)

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7. Colin Kaepern...Kaepernick still makes plenty of mistakes, but he might be the most all-around talented QB in the league. It’s also important to consider that he still only has one full season in the NFL under his belt. He threw for 3,197 yards and 21 touchdowns last season, and ran for more than 500 yards and four touchdowns. If he keeps improving, there are going to be some good times in Levi’s Stadium, and maybe University of Phoenix Stadium in February as well. (Christian Petersen/Getty Photo)

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6. Philip Rivers...Rivers had a career year in 2013, completing almost 70 percent of his passes en route to 4,478 yards and 32 touchdowns. The Comeback Player of the Year heads into this season at the helm of a new, fast-paced, no-huddle offense that is said to resemble that of the Peyton-era Colts. With a full stable of weapons including Antonio Gates and Keenan Allen at his disposal, Rivers and his bolo tie are poised for another banner year. (Christian Petersen/Getty Photo)

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5. Tom Brady, Pa...It’s not age or skill set, but the Patriots’ uninspiring roster that bumps Brady out of the Top 4. The return of Gronk offers a sliver of light, but the Pats did nothing in the offseason to surround Brady with weapons. A lesser quarterback would be in trouble, but Brady remains arguably the best of his generation. He’ll make it work this season. But just imagine what he could do with Denver’s receiving corps … (Chris Trotman/Getty Photo)

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4. Andrew Luck, ...Luck made strides in his second season towards fulfilling some of that massive potential, and that was without Reggie Wayne. In just two years, he’s amassed more than 8,000 passing yards and 46 touchdowns. With Wayne and a hungry Hakeem Nicks in the fold, Luck could be ready to truly break out. If the Colts had a running game to keep defenses guessing, he’d be downright deadly. (Andy Lyons/Getty Photo)

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3. Drew Brees, S...Brees is 35 now, but is fresh off a season in which he threw for 5,162 yards and 39 touchdowns – both second only to Peyton Manning. He’s got Jimmy Graham back in his pocket, a brand-new, field-expanding toy in Brandin Cooks and an improving Kenny Stills ready to go. Get ready for some fireworks. (Sean Gardner/Getty Photo)

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2. Aaron Rodgers...The man in the No. 1 spot (spoiler alert: it’s Peyton Manning) is the best rental for the 2014 season, but Rodgers is the face you want on your franchise. The broken collarbone that derailed him last season is going to be just a footnote in his career as he sallies forth with that cannon of an arm and big brain. Eight years younger than Manning, he’ll be on top soon. (Patrick Smith/Getty Photo)

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1. Peyton Mannin...Manning may be 38, but until he proves otherwise, he remains the man you most want at the helm of your offense. Coming off a season where he threw for 5,477 yards and an NFL-record 55 touchdowns, he’s got the top spot on lockdown until further notice. (Scott Halleran/Getty Photo)

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